Alcaraz Advances Following Withdrawal
Carlos Alcaraz has secured a place in the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters after his third-round opponent, Matteo Berrettini, was forced to withdraw from the tournament. The announcement was made on November 5, 2026, just hours before the two players were scheduled to face each other in the French capital. As reported by Tennis365, the Italian player cited persistent arm pain as the primary reason for his inability to compete, noting that the issue had been bothering him for several days.
Berrettini, who had previously defeated Brandon Nakashima and Ugo Humbert to reach this stage, confirmed his decision via a statement on Instagram. He expressed his regret over missing the high-profile encounter and confirmed that he would undergo necessary medical evaluations to determine the severity of his injury. TennisUpToDate noted that this withdrawal marks a difficult end to what was the 30-year-old’s most successful run at the Paris Masters to date.
A Path to the Title
The walkover grants Alcaraz a direct route to the final eight, marking only the second time in his career that he has reached this stage at the Paris Masters. The Spaniard, who recently claimed the title at the Vienna Open, has now recorded six consecutive wins and 12 straight sets. His progression comes at a pivotal moment in the tournament, as several top-ranked contenders have already exited the draw. The departure of world number one Alexander Zverev, alongside losses for Daniil Medvedev and Alex de Minaur, has left the draw significantly depleted.
With the departure of these major rivals, Alcaraz has emerged as the clear favorite to capture his first career title at this Masters 1000 event. The Spaniard is now set to face the winner of the match between Taylor Fritz and Arthur Fils. That quarterfinal contest is scheduled to take place on Friday, November 6, 2026. While the order of play remains subject to final confirmation by tournament officials, Alcaraz’s focus now shifts to maintaining his recent form as he prepares for his next challenge in the final Masters tournament of the current ATP calendar.